


The Bakery

by cyansea



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, first miraculous fic, tbh im really nervous
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-05-24 10:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6149989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyansea/pseuds/cyansea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Essentially based off this AU: ‘it’s my turn to open up the cafe today and you were sleeping under one of the tables when i came in and i don’t know what to say so i’m just sweeping awkwardly around you’<br/>-<br/>Marinette Dupain-Cheng's life used to revolve around the bakery her family worked at, but with all of the things going on in her life, it's become the least of her worries. When Ladybug mentions she likes the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, she doesn't think anything will come of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> hello there! okay so I'm not too sure how this fic is going to turn out nor am I 100% positive on how long it'll be or where I'll take it, but... if you're reading this I suppose you're along for the ride. I've never wrote a miraculous fic before so excuse me while I get used to the characters... but I do take suggestions on where you think the plot should go or other things you'd like me to include.  
> also!! my summary is kind of not descriptive at all so congrats if you got this far! if you have a better summary for me, it would be much appreciated as summarization has never been my strong suit.
> 
> enjoy!  
> xx quinn

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had been helping out at her parent’s bakery since she was around eight or nine. Whether it was sweeping up before and after hours to discard those pesky crumbs or taking orders with her trademark smile or making deliveries across Paris… Marinette had always thrived in the art of customer service. Even more so, she enjoyed how happy it seemed to make her family. Even though it occasionally got in the way of her designing or spending time with friends, it was something that brought her a different kind of joy. So instead of hiring another employee, Tom and Sabine has always trusted in Marinette to help out.

Which made sense because the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie had been in Marinette’s heart for all her life. When she was two, she had taken her first steps by the counter space. Granted, she had taken her first fall by the cash register. Her earliest memories involved chocolate chip cookies and crumb filled fingers sitting in the chair while her mother or father were working. She remembered splitting cookies with Alya at school, and she remembered every year around her birthday when she could bring in those big boxes full of multiple flavors of macarons with the logo on them.

Speaking of the logo, Marinette had been the one to revamp it. When she was in middle school, she had drawn a little sketch and her father had fallen in love with it. He made it their logo and reminded her to never lose sight of her dreams. Looking at it every day was a reminder that she was capable of anything she put her mind to. She could be a designer. She was good enough to be one. So the bakery was a place she held dear to her heart.

Sure, lately Marinette’s time had been a little sparse. Between akuma attacks, patrol with Chat Noir, homework, designing, and friends, she had less time to help sweep up and take a shift here and there. Which she told herself she’d get better at. She was just adjusting to the new schedule she’d have to have. But she couldn’t help that her life seemed to be so busy between all her responsibilities. She told herself that she’d do her best to schedule a shift soon. But a nagging voice in the back of her mind asked her when soon was. She decided to ignore that voice.

Today, she managed to push the broom about two feet before realizing if she didn’t start walking to school, she’d be late. She sighed and grabbed her things, dashing out the door. Her purse bumped at her side as she rushed across the street. Poor Tikki was likely not having the best of times in the purse, but Marinette was already almost there. It would be a lot better than the long walk. 

“Marinette!” Alya exclaimed as the bluenette walked up the steps of  Collège Françoise Dupont . “Late again?” she questioned, examining the dark circles under her best friend’s eyes. Those weren’t new. Alya had noticed that they’d gotten worse as the year went on, and she had just figured that her friend stayed up designing. 

“Not quite late,” Marinette said with a small smile. “Late for being my old kind of early… yes,” she replied. Which meant that she had missed Adrien being dropped off. Something like that used to be so important to her, but now she couldn’t even draw the smallest bit of her to be disappointed. Perhaps she was growing up.

“Isn’t that the same difference?” Alya questioned, shifting her bag on her shoulder. “Anyway, did you see the new post on the Ladyblog?” she added. Marinette blanked. “Oh come on! It updated yesterday. We didn’t have that much homework.”

Marinette gave a sheepish smile in return. “I’ll check it later, Alya, I promise.” That was when Adrien walked by, sending her heart into crazy palpitations. She stood up straight and almost unnaturally. So much for growing up.

The school day passed by rather uneventfully, with Marinette spending a good majority of it daydreaming than actually learning. Perhaps it was that Adrien sat in front of her, but she’d like to tell herself it was only because she wasn’t strong in math or physics.

Marinette had plenty of plans for the night, she had homework in a few classes, a design to finish, and patrol with Chat Noir. So as she walked into the bakery, she gave her parents a nod and trekked up to her room, where she pulled out her assignments to stare at them. She slowly realized that she had absolutely no idea how to do her assignment. So much for that.

She pulled out her sketchbook and flipped to a new page. They had been talking about the 1920s in history and Marinette felt oddly inspired to do a few designs on vintage style dresses. It started with flapper dresses in black, navy blue, and grey. She drew beads, feathers, and made her dresses ornately and carefully designed. Each touch of her pencil to paper was only to further add to the dresses she had drawn. 

But as time ticked closer to her patrol, she found herself drawing a new flapper dress. Red and ruffled with black polka dots complimentary with a black feather. Then her hand moved to the next sketch. Black dress pants, a belt, a black button up with green paw print cufflinks. The sleeves were rolled up, a black vest was added, and the collar was popped. She looked at her drawing and decided on adding a gold tie. Marinette smiled at the drawing. She didn’t know much about the previous Chat Noir and Ladybug, but she wondered what style they followed. She had a lot of questions, but she didn’t mind that they weren’t answered. The mystery was something special in itself.

She glanced at her alarm clock. About time for patrol. “Tikki! Spots on!” 

In no time at all, Ladybug was exploring the City of Lights, yoyo the most practical use of transportation. Now where was that silly kitty? Her eyes scanned Paris as she travelled the streets. They really did have to choose a location to meet.

“My lady!” Chat Noir called out from the top of a building. He had that ridiculously cheeky smile as always and she gave him a small smile in return, waving to him. “A little late tonight… were you…. _pro-cat-stinating_?” She groaned and his smile widened. 

Ladybug swung up to him, standing by his side. “All awful puns aside… I lost track of time. We really do need to find a meeting time you know. How has patrol been so far without me?”

Chat Noir gave her a small shrug. “Well, meeting place we can figure out. _Purrhaps_ the park?” He was trying to get her to get fed up with the puns at this point, and they both knew it. He liked the way she’d huff and roll her eyes, but her mouth would twitch into a smile that was barely there. Even more, he liked when she would finally laugh at them and shake her head. After all, someone could only endure so many puns. “Patrol has been alright. Nothing is new.” They both knew that nothing had been new. Akuma attacks had never happened at night, but the two of them had started it as an excuse to spend more time around one another where they could talk, but not reveal much.  They both had reasons for wanting the patrol time. 

Chat Noir wanted patrol because he had a crush on his partner for as long as he could remember. He cared for her and wanted more time with her. But even more, he wanted to know more about her. He wanted to know everything she could possibly tell him because he wanted to know her. While Nino was Adrien’s best friend, Ladybug was too. She was someone he wanted to know everything about, but accepted that she would always just be Ladybug to him.

Ladybug wanted patrol because sometimes being Marinette was too much for her. As Ladybug, she was confident and calm, and she always had a plan. She cared for her partner as well, but not how he cared for her.  She cared for him different than a lover, but more than the love she felt for her peers. Perhaps she’d compare him to Alya. After all, he knew things about her no one else did. But he didn’t know who she was. Sure, she knew that was the way it had to be, but she sometimes wondered what her compassionate partner’s life was like. She knew he wasn’t close to his family. She knew he felt alone sometimes. She knew he went to school. But the rest was all trivial matters. She wished it wasn’t.

“Ladybug?” Chat questioned, his green eyes glancing toward her. “I never asked… what food does your kwami like?” he asked. His chef did an excellent job and perhaps if it was something easy enough, he could smuggle something over. Unfortunately, his chef was a waste on Plagg.

“Tikki likes chocolate chip cookies,” Ladybug answered. “And yours?” she asked, turning to him. Obviously, his kwami was cat-like. Did that mean it would like cat-like food? However, Tikki liked cookie and that wasn’t necessarily ladybug-like. She briefly pondered what real ladybugs snacked on.

“Plagg likes Camembert cheese. I think it makes me smell like mold,” he said, nose scrunching up in disgust. Ladybug giggled at this, shaking her head. “I love sweets. Why couldn’t I get a kwami who likes sweets?” It was probably for the best. He wasn’t allowed to have many sweets.

“I don’t think you smell like mold, Chat. If that makes you feel any better,” she said with a small giggle. “Camembert is certainly… not cookies.” She learned something new about Chat Noir though. He was a sweet tooth. Her parents worked for a bakery. “Where do you get your sweets?” she asked.

“I’m… My father doesn’t really like me having them,” Chat Noir admitted. It was more than that. Adrien wasn't allowed sweets. He was a model. They were unhealthy. They didn't celebrate birthdays and they hardly celebrated holidays. His events of course had them, but he wasn't allowed to consume any. It was more that they were there to remind Adrien he couldn't have things his way. “But sometimes I have friends that bring me sweets. My best friend especially. And you?”

“Um… a patisserie on 21 Gotlib Street,” she said. “I go there enough. They have good chocolate chip cookies. I recommend it.” Marinette’s heart was pounding. She was oversharing. This was dangerous. At least her mind warned her that it was.  But she couldn’t help but feel happy that he knew more about her, and if he really tried, he could know even more. This was a conversation in passing though. Like any other. She didn’t think anything could come of it.

Months later, Marinette woke up early. She had finally made her time to sweep the bakery. She went down the stairs to her own kitchen, adjusting her pigtails. She had actually gotten ready early for once. Tikki followed by her side, animatedly congratulating her for her skill. She walked down the steps to the bakery, grabbing the broom on the way and then turned, stopping in her tracks as Tikki darted beneath the counter. At the table she always sat at with Alya was a sleeping Chat Noir, one arm crossed under him and the other outstretched. His hair was just as messy as always and his eyes were closed peacefully. As she neared him, she could see the tracks where tears had once been. His face was dry now. She was worried. She stepped a few steps closer. “ _Chat_?” she said, her hand going to rest on his shoulder. His ring had three out of five glowing. Why had he come here of all places?


	2. November

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette faces the fact that Chat Noir is in her family's bakery. Chocolate cookies are shared and more is revealed about our feline hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys! I am so happy I had so much positive response! so here is chapter two. from now on, I'll post as soon as the chapter is finished and the more positive response I get, the quicker that will tend to be. also!! chapters will tend to skip back and forth in time. the last one took place in august... this one in november. the next one will probably be late august. hope this isn't too confusing. but I have a lot planned!
> 
> xx quinn

Marinette still couldn’t quite believe that Chat Noir was asleep in the bakery at her table. She didn’t know what to do. Of all the things she could have imagined, her crime-fighting partner sleeping on the table in the bakery was not one of them. “Chat?” she said, her hand going to rest on his shoulder. She was worried about him. After all, it was a pretty far stretch for him to be here. Chat Noir only fought crime and spent time with Ladybug as Chat Noir. It had to have been August when she had told him- that Ladybug had told him- that she liked going here. She couldn’t imagine why he was there. Unless something had happened. But then couldn’t he just wait until he saw Ladybug again? Sure, their night patrols were less frequent now that she had been trying harder in school, but Akuma attacks were still just as regular as always. Unless this was an emergency. In any case, she was nervous. “Chat?” she said again, this time a little louder.

Chat Noir stirred from his sleep. His head was pounding. Was that Nathalie calling for him to wake up? What time was it anyway? His whole memory was clouded. He could hardly focus. He just knew that he really needed an aspirin. He slowly lifted his head. Wait a second. This wasn’t his bedroom. Not at all. He glanced around, the surroundings becoming more clear, and he quickly remembered where he was and why he was there. This had been a bad idea. In fact, this had been the worst, most irresponsible thing he had done to date. So long as he escaped without anyone seeing him… he would be okay. Ladybug never had to know.

He glanced up, green eyes meeting the very wide blue eyes of his classmate. “Marinette,” he said in surprise, nearly falling out of his chair. He hadn’t seen Marinette in his Chat Noir form since the Evillustrator. Sure, he saw her plenty as Adrien, but she was still rather shy around him. Adrien didn’t know much about her. If he could guess, he’d say she wasn’t very fond of him. She never wanted to be alone around him. But she was polite and he considered her a friend all the same. Chat Noir had met her once. She was knowing and confident. She didn’t put up with his antics, but she was kind to him all the same. Marinette was confusing to him. More so to Adrien than to Chat Noir.

She didn’t know what to say. Marinette, for once in her life, didn’t know what to say to Chat Noir. She had fought alongside him for so long that she should know what to say to him. Her blue eyes just stared into his green ones, as if maybe they would give her something to say.  Of course, they didn’t, and she resorted to starting to sweep. She sweeped around his table, ignoring that he had nearly fallen. This was okay. What would Ladybug say? She wasn’t Ladybug. Well she was, but not currently. The boost of confidence just wasn’t there. “Chat Noir, what are you doing in my bakery before hours? It would almost lead one to believe that you had broken in,” she teased softly. “I thought you put those days behind you with the Copycat.” Yes. That was Ladybug enough in speech. She didn’t need to be awkward around him. She knew him. She knew him almost more than anyone else in her life.

Chat Noir blanked. What could he tell her that didn’t seem too ridiculous? He couldn’t tell her the truth. “A friend told me you had the best chocolate chip cookies. And I had to come get some. Unfortunately, I can’t be caught by civilians. I’m not supposed to be out when I’m not fighting crime.” He was trying his best to stay calm, using the same kind of teasing voice she had. “So… may I pay for a chocolate chip cookie now?”

Marinette was trying to keep up with the game she had started. “A friend? Would we be talking about Ladybug?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t say she’d be too happy with you breaking and entering. You could have come in here in your civilian form,” she told him. “But… since you seem like you need a cookie… you can have one on the house. But this is no excuse to be a stray in our alley or anything.”

Chat Noir immediately paled. She was right. If anyone besides Marinette would have found him, he could have got into trouble. “Yes. Ladybug did recommend….” He knew he had to see Ladybug, but this had been too risky of him. He wouldn’t recognize her in civilian form anyway. Plagg had told him people had a way of missing what was truly in front of them. “Thank you, Marinette. I’m sorry for hanging around.”

Marinette shook her head. “It’s fine, kitty. I’m just honored that we were recommended and that you found it a necessity to like my family’s cookies.” She walked over to the display and picked two cookies up in a napkin and then doubled back to sit in front of him. She pushed a cookie in his direction, taking the other in her hand so she could have one as well. “I hope they’re worth it. I certainly think they are.”

Chat Noir took the cookie gently in his hand and then took a bite, his eyes closing as he did so. Immediately, he smiled. The cookie with crunchy by the edges but chewy in the middle and the taste of milk chocolate was perfect in comparison to the amount of cookie. So much so that it elicited a small gasp from the hero, his eyes opening and widening in surprise. He closed his eyes again and took another bite. And another. And another. 

_ Adrien was nothing before Chat Noir. Well, that wasn’t necessarily true. Back in the days that his mother was around, he was loved and happy. His father was more present. Things weren’t as forced. He spent time with Chloe, who was so kind and free of judgement, and he modeled in his spare time. He could remember his mother’s mellifluous voice as she read him various bedtime stories. She always knew how to make him smile. Adrien’s mother was a strong woman who was soft-spoken and took him on adventures. She was there when he was in piano class that his father made him take. She always clapped the loudest. She was the one to homeschool him. No Nathalie. No… it was way before the assistant had come about. Adrien’s mother was always playing games with him and indulging in silly stories and baking and art. She made him feel worthy and happy and important. Then she left. He couldn’t help but blame her. _

_ Adrien was nothing before Chat Noir. His mother was gone, Chloe wasn’t much of a friend anymore, and his father changed. It was almost as if Adrien reminded his father of his mother. He was thrown into more modeling and his father hired Nathalie. Nathalie, who was in alliance with his father. Adrien didn’t have silly games and ways to feel worthy anymore. Just Nathalie, who drilled facts into him and kept his schedule managed. Adrien had no one anymore. Adrien wondered if his father knew that he knew that Nathalie was just some cheap replacement. Adrien wondered if his father knew that Adrien had caught them kissing. He didn’t think so. Adrien wasn’t noticeable. _

_ Adrien became something as Chat Noir. He convinced his father to send him to school. He made friends for the first time. Well… he had Nino. Nino, his first best friend, who had no idea how much Adrien was hurting inside. He never said anything. People assumed he was alright. Adrien had no reason to tell people otherwise, did he? Then there was Alya and Marinette. Alya who seemed to enjoy Nino’s company way more than she ever let on and Marinette… who was quiet and shy and never really wanted to give him the time of day. She didn’t seem to want to talk to him when they were alone. All he knew was that he wanted to get to know her better. He liked school. Sometimes it made him feel just a little bit less lonely. _

_ Adrien was everything as Chat Noir. As Adrien, he was quiet and reserved. He had to be. He had to be an image as Adrien Agreste. As Chat Noir, he was flirty and funny and confident. He felt okay with himself as Chat Noir. Then there was Ladybug. The strong, beautiful hero that worked with him and put up with his antics. She always cared and always listened, but he was afraid to tell her. That without Chat Noir, he was nothing. He felt something with her. That since his mother left, he couldn’t feel anything good about himself, but when she was around everything was a little better. _

_ Without Ladybug, Chat Noir was nothing. Without Chat Noir, Adrien was nothing. Patrols had limited, and his home life had gotten so much worse. He was struggling to stay afloat. His classmates didn’t notice something was wrong. Expensive makeup covered his eyebags. Adrien Agreste had forgotten what sleep was. He had to be okay, so he pretended to be. Ladybug wasn’t around much anymore besides Akuma attacks and Adrien found himself needing more of her time. He had no way to reach her. Then last night had happened and Adrien had shut down. He needed someone to confide in. The only place Ladybug had mentioned was the bakery and he had enough liquid courage to get there and fall asleep on a table. _

Chat Noir was crying, tears dripping down his face in trails. He had finished his chocolate chip cookie, and he licked the pads of his pointer finger and thumb to get the chocolate off. He had always been a silent crier in necessity of being one. He was shaking too, his fingers trembling. “Thank you for the cookie. I should… get going,” he said softly to the girl in front of him. He had never broken down in front of others. He was embarrassed it had been Marinette.

Marinette was in shock. She had never seen Chat Noir cry. She had also never seen someone cry over chocolate chip cookies. What had happened to her partner? She didn’t know how to comfort him as Marinette. She didn’t feel as confident or sufficient as Marinette. “Wait!” Marinette exclaimed. She was surprised in herself for being able to say something. “Chat Noir… I don’t know what… is making you cry. I hope the cookie was okay… and I know… I’m no Ladybug, but… I wouldn’t mind alley cats hanging around the bakery more often. Even if you don’t want to talk about it… we could… just talk about something else.” She made a mental note to talk to him as Ladybug.

Chat Noir looked at Marinette. He had cried in front of her. He had broke his facade just slightly. She invited him to hang around here. “Marinette… the cookie was delicious. And… I think hanging around the bakery… I would like that very much,” he answered. She was right. She was no Ladybug. But perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone. He could get to know Marinette as Chat Noir and he’d feel less lonely. Maybe Adrien could get closer to Marinette one day, too. He knew she had a kind heart.

Sometimes in life, coincidences came into fruition for a reason. Adrien had been going to the bakery for months. He had never touched a chocolate chip cookie. He knew he wasn’t allowed them. The bakery made him feel just a little closer to Ladybug. He ordered a hot chocolate with whipped cream every Tuesday. Generally he just spent time in there studying when he was free and could escape home. Chat Noir was in the bakery now for the second time. He had been in there with Ladybug before. But Adrien went in there with Nino. He went in there… He didn’t really know why else. It just felt right. Tom and Sabine were kind to him. Sometimes he wished he knew what it would be like to have parents like that. Chat Noir was in the bakery with Marinette. This wouldn’t be the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you all enjoyed! I listen to a lot of 8tracks while I write so if you have any miraculous playlists you recommend, please feel free to link me!
> 
> comment, kudos, subscribe, bookmark.
> 
> xx quinn


	3. Late August

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien's first visit to the bakery and luck tends to never work in anyone's favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaah it's been forever and i'm so so so sorry! someone please just message me when i go on long hiatuses. but here i am with a short kind of filler chapter. i have up to chapter nine or so planned... might end it after ten chapters... we'll see!   
> ~quinn

It had only been a week since Ladybug had casually namedropped the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, and Adrien Agreste couldn’t stop thinking about it. Thinking of scenarios where they would meet and he would just know it was her. Know that the girl was the one he met masked. But what if he already knew her? No. That was ridiculous. He was absolutely positive that he couldn't have known the civilian behind Ladybug because he'd like to know that if anything, he'd know what she looked like. Since he cared so much for her. About his lady, who likely- no, definitely- visited the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. What if he showed up there the same time she was there? His heart was in constant butterflies at the thought of it. Enough to avoid what was going on at home. That Nathalie was shuttling him around more and more, that his father was always off somewhere or another, and that there were always such harsh expectations on him. However, Ladybug had always served sufficient distraction to whatever was on his mind. But calling her a distraction wasn’t fair. No, she was so much more than that to him. Which was why he felt himself inexplicably drawn to the small bakery that his classmate’s family owned.

It was a breezy Tuesday afternoon when he finally mentioned the subject to Nino. He had broached the subject with such caution, being careful to explain that he thought it might prove to be a good study spot for the incoming physics exam. Yes, that sounded logical. Didn't it? He talked about how if they met there more regularly to study, they were sure to do better on the incoming tests. As if. Adrien had a perfect grade in physics, just like the rest of his classes, and Nino knew it. Adrien's father expected that if he continued going to school, his grades would be perfect. So that was the excuse that Adrien gave Nino in his explanation. He hoped it sounded realistic, but knew that it likely didn’t.

"Okay," Nino said easily. He didn't mind too much one way or another. He knew that Alya would likely be there and that was enough convincing for him. After all, they had only been getting closer. She considered them a thing at least. That wasn't enough for him, but it was better than nothing. Nino wanted more from Alya. He wanted late night dates, holdings hands, and telling their classmates. All he had managed was a movie, lots of kissing when Marinette and Adrien weren’t around, and cuddling. "I don't mind going. But... are you just suggesting it so you can spend more time with Alya and Marinette?" Nino was suspicious of Adrien’s reasoning. He knew how Marinette felt for him… Perhaps luck would finally work in his classmate’s favor, although it hadn’t worked in his favor.

Hearing Nino question his motives, Adrien immediately felt guilty. Of course he wanted to spend time with Alya and Marinette. The two were friends of his and he only wished he could get closer to them. He wanted close friends. He really did. But that wasn't why he wanted to go to the bakery and he couldn’t convince himself that it was the reason why either. "You caught me," he said nervously with a little laugh. "But studying... we should do that too. Maybe the girls won't mind studying with us."

“I don’t think much studying will be done, but I don’t think you’ll need it, dude,” Nino said with a carefree smile. Of course. Adrien reminded himself of his friend’s feelings for Alya, but then remembered that Marinette was likely working. That’d make him feel like a third wheel, but the possibility of seeing Ladybug would be enough for him. It would at least give him more time to daydream and have time to himself on his day off. The lack of work would be was with him, though, because he didn’t intend to study much anyway, but he figured he could try and help his friends with their studies if they needed it. Somehow, he doubted the talk of studying would even come up.

So that day, that the plans were made to go to the bakery on Gotlib Street. It was after school and Adrien had toted his bag, with Nino in tow, to the car that drove him everywhere. The bakery was only a block away, but he knew how his father insisted he took the car places. It would be “just like Adrien” to say something in public that would embarrass Gabriel Agreste. So the car was used. Nino, unlike usual, decided not to comment on it. Perhaps he was too busy worrying about the oncoming interaction with Alya. Although they were a friend group, the four of them didn’t spend much time together outside of school. Mainly because Alya and Nino had tension and awkwardness and well… Marinette hardly spoke to Adrien. 

They pulled up to the bakery and Nino was out of the car as soon as it stopped. Adrien left his bag in the car and slid out after him. He could see Alya sitting at a booth and Marinette at the counter. He figured Alya was working on the Ladyblog. She generally was. Adrien didn’t mind that though. She was insightful and noticed things he hadn’t. A lot of learning more about the hero he loved had come from the Ladyblog. In fact, he generally could talk to Alya for a bit. They talked about the hero they both adored, but she always seemingly got fed up with him and left him to talk with Marinette. Which, of course, he didn’t mind. Or… he wouldn’t, but Marinette never talked to him for too long. She was always a few steps behind Alya.

Nino opened the door a little too hard in his excitement: he slammed the door into Adrien’s palm, making the bell rattle uncontrollably, and having the customers all turn to him. He flushed a bright red. Which was odd because generally Nino didn’t mind embarrassing situations or being the center of attention. He must have been truly concerned about Alya. So Adrien nudged Nino forward and the two walked toward the cashier in the silence of the bakery. It was so quiet, that if someone clicked their pen, the whole room could have heard it. The walk, although it was probably just ten feet from the door, felt like years. With all eyes on them, it was enough for Adrien to duck his head down.

Adrien was self-conscious in this silence, and he suddenly found himself face to face with Marinette, Nino to his right. It seemed sudden, although the walk felt like forever. Finally getting there felt sudden. The girl in question was smiling just a little too wide, her face bright red. Adrien wondered if this was due to second hand embarrassment. After all, he wasn’t the one to get the attention of the restaurant, but he was still just as flushed with Nino. Unfortunately, the flush stood out more on his pale cheeks than Nino’s tanned ones. “Um… didn’t expect to see you two here!” Marinette finally chirped, fumbling with a notebook and pen to take their orders. “For Alya, right Nino?” she teased lightly before glancing to Adrien. “What… do you want? To order! Yes, what do you want to order?”

Adrien hadn’t really thought this far of course. He was too busy thinking about cerulean eyes like the color of the sky and a laugh that sounded like literal bells ringing to him. He quickly scanned the menu, and, to his dismay, most of it was outside of his dietary restrictions. However, he generally did have one cheat day a week when he could truly have what he wanted and it would have to be tuesdays now. “Hot chocolate with extra whip cream,” he answered confidently, as if he wouldn’t have to explain this to his chef, Nathalie, and his father later. Nino made a face next to him, surprise, but then smiled, taking Adrien’s hand and squeezing it. He then dropped Adrien’s hand, stepping up to Marinette.

Marinette wrote this down on her notepad, then looked at the cash register. “That’s two dollars,” she said softly. He pushed two crisp one dollar bills onto the counter, stepping to the left so Nino could order. Marinette now glanced to Nino. “And what do you want to order?” she asked, smiling. Adrien noticed how she was comfortable around Nino. Maybe she really didn’t like Adrien. He was so in his own thoughts, that he only caught the end of Nino’s order;

“ _ And two chocolate chip cookies. _ ”

Adrien could hardly focus on the money involved or the fact that suddenly he was being shuffled toward Alya and then slid into the booth. That’s right. Ladybug had said to try the chocolate chip cookies. But he wanted to save that. Until he could have them with her or from her or something like that. Or until he really needed one. Plus, he wasn’t supposed to have cookies anyway. 

Marinette soon came by with their orders and placed them down on the table with more grace than she usually mustered around Adrien. Leaning over, Nino noticed the whip cream. It was in the perfect shape of a heart. Of course, Adrien wouldn’t notice. Marinette soon came back towards the table, done working, and slid in next to Alya. She looked at Adrien with hopeful eyes. Luck, sometimes, never worked in anyone’s favor. 

Adrien, meanwhile, seemed like he was waiting for something. This pattern continued week after week. Adrien never noticed. Marinette always looked hopeful. Adrien always seemed to wait. Alya acted different around their friends. Nino always was hopeful.

Sometimes luck never works in anyone’s favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also i have more fics planned when i finish this one.  
> you know the drill... kudos, comment, bookmark... all that jazz!  
> ~quinn

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! comments, kudos, and subscribing is always appreciated and if you think it's really great, share it with friends or message me on tumblr (seapoet).


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